Plate-bending machine.



S. G. GOSS.

PLATE BENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION IILED MAY 29, 1913.

1,126,982. Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

wag-M, ww S. G. GOSS.

PLATE BENDING MACHINE. APPLIOATIbN FILED MAY 29, 19134 Patented Feb. 1915.

a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

(Val 6727570 S. Gr.v GOSS.

PLATE BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29,1913.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

s SHEET$-SHEET 3.

1 l l l I l ll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL G. GOSS, 0F GLEN COE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE GOSS PRINTING PRESS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PLATE-BENDING MACHINE.

Application filed May 29, 1913. Serial No. 770,575.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL G. Gross, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glencoe, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plate-Bending Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates. to machines for bending plates into circular ,form and is intended more particularly for use in bending electrotype-plates used on printing presses, although it may be used for any other purpose for which it is adapted.

Heretofore it has been customary to bend such plates by placing them on a thick sheet of rubber, or equivalent support, and passing them between rollers set a predetermined distance apart so that therollers-act to press the plate into the rubber and thereby cause it to curve to conform to. the curvature of the upper roller. While in such machines one of the rollers has been adjustable toward and from the other by suitable adjusting screws, such adjustability has been provided merely for the purpose of varying the extent to which pressure is applied to the plates operated upon.

Machines of this character are objection-- able=because it is difficult to introduce the plate and rubber support into the bite of the rollers owing to their being set so close together, and moreover, in such machines, owing to the flexibility of the rubber, the plate is very apt to be moved out of proper alinement, and consequently is not bent to a true curvature. v

I avoid the objections incident to such machines by providing a machine in which the curving or bending roller is movable, so-that when notin use it is held far enough from the table on which the rubber sheet rests to permitithe leading end of the plate to be positioned under it freely, after which the roller is moved down into position to exert the desired pressure upon the plate. The plate is then moved under the roller, all

parts of it receiving the same pressure, and

consequently the bending is properly accomplished. After the plate has been bent. the roller is again moved away from the support to receive the next plate, these operations being automatically performed as the machine operates.

. In the accompanying drawings, which lllustrate one embodiment of my inven-.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

tion,Figure 1 is a side elevation of myimproved bending machine; Fig. 2 is a 1011- gitudinal vertical section on line 2- -2 of- Fig. 3; and Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-seetion on line 33 of Fig.1.

Referring to the drawings,+4 indicates a support, which is preferably mounted onsuitable legs or standards 5, so that the support is held at the desired height. The sup-. port 4 is provided with a longitudinal slot 6, as shown in Fig. 2.

7 indicates a table, which is mounted on the support 4 and is movable longitudinally thereof, said table resting on anti-friction.

rollers 8, carried by the support 4, as shown 7 in Figs. 1 and 2. The table 7 is of suitable size to receive the electrotype plate and is provided with a downwardly-extending tongue 9, which projects through the slot 6,

and properly guides the table 7 asit reciprocates.

10 indicates an arm, which projects down-v wardly from the tongue 9, and is in the form of a channel-bar, being. provided with.

marginal flanges 11-12, best shown in Fig. 2. r

. 13 indicates a shaft which is arranged transversely under .the support 4 and, is provided with a crank 14, having a roller 15', which lies in the channel of the arm 10, I

so that the roller 15 is adapted to engage.

one or the other of the flanges 1112. e As best shown in Fig. 2, the flanges 1112 are spaced apart a considerably greater distance than the diameter of the roller 15, so that there is considerable lost motion as the.

crank 14 rotates, the purpose of which is to allow'the table 7 toiremain stationary.

while the movement of the bending roller is eifected,-as hereinafter described.- The shaft 1.3 is driven by means of a worm gear 16 mounted thereon, and meshing with a worm 17 carried by a shaft 18, best shown in Fig. 1. The lattershaft is driven from an electric motor 19, or other suitable source of power, through gears 20--21, also shown in-Fig. 1.

22 indicates the rubber sheet or pad upon which the electrotype-plate 23 rests while v being bent.

24 indicates a swinging gage, carriedby a bracket 25, secured to the forward edge of the table 7. The gage 24 is prevented from' dropping below a horizontal position by a lug 26, best shown in Fig. 2. The purpose of the gage 24 is to facilitate the alinement of the front edge plate with the axis of the bending roller when it is placed upon the pad 22.

27 indicates the bending roller, which extends transversely of the table 7, and is mounted upon an'eccentric or crankshaft 2S, journaled in suitable standards 29, secured at oppositesides of the support 4. The roller 27,1otate's 1-eely upon the crankshaft and may be moved toward or from the table 7 with its axis in parallelism there with by turningthe crankshaft or eccentric in its bearings.

'30 indicates a lever carried by the crankshaft "28 and keyed thereto,- so [that by swinging said lever, the crank-shaft may be rocked.

31 indicates a bel1erank-1ever 'fulcrumed up'on a suitable pivot 32, shown in a dotted line in Fig. '1, 33-34 indicating the two arms of said bellcrank lever. The arm 33 is connected with the lever by a conne'ctin rod 35, so tha'tby r'ockingsaid bellcr nkever the lever 30 may be operated to' rock thecrank-shaft 28 and move the roller QY'tow'ard .or from the table 7.

indicates a cam-groove on ene face, preferabl the inner face, of the worm-i ear 16. The shape of the "cam-groove 3 is shown in Fig. 1, in which the heavy dotted linesindicate one position of said camgroove, and the light dotted lines indicate a different position thereof. The arm 34 of the bel l'crank-lever 31 is provided with a 'r'oller'37, which runs in the cam-groove 36.

The shape of the cam 36 is such that as the gear 16 rotates it rocks the bellcrank-lever 31 in the manner hereinafter described to move 'thebending roller 27 up or down, as re uired, and also holds said roller in position during the bending operation.

'The 0 eration of. the machine is'a's follows: 'e plate to be bent is placed face down on the pad 22 and its leading7ed' 'e is placed under the bending rollerf2 which then occupies the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. The .gear I6 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, and the rotation of said gear, through the cam'36, operates to move the bellcrank-lever 3] into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, bringing the arm 33 thereof into line with. the connecting-rod 35. This not only rocks the crank-shaft 28 to move the bending roller down into operative position, but also looks the roller in such position by reason of the fact that the arm 33 is substantially in ali'n'ementwith the connecting-rod -3E). Preferably, the lower pivot 38 of the connectingrod 35 moves slightly across a line connecting the fulcrum 32 and the upper ivot '39 of the connecting-rod 35, thus making '9.

more secure lock? During this part of the operation the roller 15 swings idly across the arm 10 from the flange 11 to the flange 12,

so that the table 7 is not moved. As soon as the bending roller 27 has been moved down to operative position, the roller 15 engages the flange 12 and moves the table 7 longitudinally of the support 4, thus any ing the plate 23 under the bending roller.

The cam 36 is so shaped that it does not move the bellcrank-lever durin this part of the operation. As soon as t eplate has passed from under the bending roller, at which time the roller 15 will start to move back across the arm 10 towa'rd'the flange 11, the cam operates upon the bellcrank-lever 31 to move the bendin roller upward, thereby permittin the tab% to its origina position as soon as the roller 15 again en ages the flange "11. The plate in bending io lows up around the bending roller and may be removed as soon as it is free from the grip of such roller.

e 7 to be moved back While I have shown my invention embodied in a machine employing a traveling table for supporting the plate, in its broader aspect it contemplates any other suitable means .for supporting the plate and causingit to move under the bending roller. The claims hereinafter made are, therefore, ge-

neric in character and are to be construed accordingly.

That which I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters atent, is,

u 1. In a plate-bending machine, the combinationo bending members comprising a substantially flat. late-support and-a bending roller adapte'cFto roll upon a plate carried by said support to bend the same around said roller, one of said "bending members being movable toward and from the other to vary the width of the passage between them,

rie bysaid support to bend the same around said roller, one of said bending members being movable toward and from the other to vary thewid'th of the passage between them, means for moving said plate-support transversely with relation to the axis of said bending roller to cause said roller to roll over theplate, and means associated with said movingmean's for automatically moving said bending members closer together at the beginning of the "bending operation to ingd rollera'dapted to roll upon a plate carreduce the width of. the passage between them. 4

3. In a plate-bending machine, the combination of bending members comprising a substantially fiat plate-support and a bending roller adapted to roll upon a plate carried by said support to bend the same around said roller, one of said bending members being movable toward and from the other to vary the width of the passage between them, means for moving said plate-support trans versely with relation to the axis of said bending roller to cause said roller to rollover the plate, and means for automatically moving said bending members closer together at the beginning of the bending operation to reduce the width of the passage between them, and for moving them farther apart after the plate has been bent.

4. In a'plate-bending machine, the combination o plate-support adapted to travel in a substantially horizontal plane and a bending roller adapted to roll upon a plate carried by said support to bend the same around said roller, one of said bending members being movable toward and from the other to vary the width of the passage between them, means for moving said plate-support transversely with relatlon to the axis of said bending roller to cause said roller to roll over the plate, and means associated with said movlng 'means for moving said bending members closer together at the beginning of the bending operation to reduce the passage between them.

5.'In a plate-bending machine, the combination of bending members comprising a plate-support adapted to travel in a substantially horizontal plane and a bendin roller adapted to roll upon a plate carrie by said support to bend the same around said roller, one of said bending members i being movable toward and from the other with said moving means for movin to vary the width of the passage between them, means for movin said plate-support transversely with relatlon to the axis of said bending roller to cause said roller to roll over the late, and means associateg bending members closer together at t e beginning of the bending operation to reduce the passage between them, and for moving ghem farther apart after the plate has been ent.

6. In a late-bending machine, the combination o bendin members comprising a substantially flat p ate-support and a bending roller adapted to roll upon a plate carried by said support to bend the same around said roller, said roller being movable toward and from said support to vary the width of the passage between them, said plate-support being movable transversely with relation to the axis of said bending bending members comprising aroller, and operatin mechanism operativel' connected with sai plate-support and wit said roller and acting first to. move said roller toward said plate-support to reduce the width of the passage between them and then to move said support transversely of the axis of said roller.

7. In a plate-bending machine, the combination o bendingmembers com rising a substantially flat p ate-support an a bending roller adapted to roll upon a plate car ried by said support 'tobend the same around said roller, said roller being movable toward and from said support to vary the width of the passage between them, said plate-support being movable transversely with relation to the axis of said bending roller, and operating mechanism operativel. connected with said plate-supportand wit said roller and acting first to move said roller toward said plate-support to reduce the width of the passage between them, then to move said support transversely of the axis of said roller, and then to move said roller away from said support.

8. A plate-bending machine of the type described, comprising a reciprocating support adapted to receive the'plate to be bent, a vertically-movable bending roller cooperating with said support to press the'plate between them, mechanism for rec' rocatin said support, and means operated by sai reciprocating mechanism for movin said roller down into operative position %efore the support is moved in one direction by said reciprocating mechanism, for maintain- 1n sa1d roller 1n its operatlve posltion while sa1d support is moved in one d1rect1on,. and

'for moving said bending roller up out of operative position before the said support is moved in the opposite direction.

9. A plate-bending machine of the type described, comprising a reciprocatingsupport adapted to support the plate to be bent, a shaft, means carried by said shaft for reciprocating said support, a verticallymovable bending roller cooperating with said support to press the plate between them, and means operated by the rotation of said shaft for moving said roller vertically, and for moving said support transversely of the axis of saidbending roller while sa1d bending roller is held against vertical movement.

10. A plate-bending machine of the type described, comprising a plate-support, a

bending roller cooperating with sa1d sup-- then" moving the bending roller out et operati've position,

11. Aplate-bending machine, comprising a support adapted to receive the plate to be sup ort, a shaft, means operated by said shafor intermittently reciprocating said support, and means'operated b said shaft 'for moving said roller vertical y while the support is stationary.

12. A plate-bending machine, comprising a support adapted to receive the late to be bent and to reciprocate in a su tantially horizontal plane, a vertically-movable bending roller adapted to bear upon and roll over the surface of a plate carried said support, a shaft, means o erated by said shaft for intermittently reciprocating said support, 'a cam carried by said shaft, and means operated by said cam for moving said roller vertically.

13. A plate-bending machine, comprising a support adapted to receive the plate'to be bent and to reciprocate in a substantially horizontal plane, averticalIy-mcvable bending roller adapted to bear upon and roll over thesurface of the plate carried by said support, a crankshaft on which said roller is mounted, means for reciprocating said support, and means associated with said reciprocating means for rocking said crank shaft to vary the distance between said roller and said support.

14. A'plate-bending machine of the type described, comprising a reciprocating support, means for intermittently reciprocating said support,- a bending roller coiiperating with said support to press between them the plate to be bent, a crankshaft on which said roller is moanted, and means operated by said reciprocating means for rocking ignon said shaft while said sup ort is stationary, 46,

to vary the distance between said'roller and said support.

15-. A plate=bending machine, comprising a reciprocating support adapted'to receive the plate to be bent, said support having a channeled arm, a shaft having a crank engaging said channeled arm for reciprocatin 1 said support intermittently, a bending ro ler, a crank-shaft on which said roller is a bending mounted, a cam mounted on said first-mew I tioned shaft, and a bellcrank-lever acted on by said-cam and connected with said crankshaft for rocking said crank-shaft to move the bending roller toward and from the support.

1 A plate-bending machine, comprising a reciprocating support adapted to receive the plate to be bent, a shaft, means operated by said shaft'for intermittently reciprocatmg said support, a cam mounted on said.

shaft, a bellcrank-lever operated by said cam, a bending roller, a crank-shaft on which said roller is mounted, and means connecting .said bellcrank-lever" with said crank-shaft, said cam being arranged to rock said b'ellcrank-lever while said plate support is stationary.

SAMUEL G. GOS'S. Witnesses:

Romans T.' JoHiS'roN, v Joseph J. Wsnsnn; 

